MangiaMore: ROLL out

RER 12.21.12

My family is all about the Christmas cookies. I can remember making them with my mom and my sister in childhood; battling the Sprtiz cookie gun, getting sprinkles and frosting everywhere, eating massive amounts of raw dough, even having friends over to help create. My mother does not participate as much and my sister and I have kind of stolen the show. But it is a fun tradition to uphold. Here are two recipes that we do almost every year. Get ready to roll out, the dough that is (unless you eat too many of them if you know what I mean...). The ever popular Sugar Cookie and the misunderstood Gingerbread Man.

JAR 12.21.12

RER 12.21.12

Sugar Cookies

1/3 cup shortening

1/3 cup butter

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

RER 12.20.12

RER 12.20.12

Mix butter and shortening until soft. Add half the flour and the remaining ingredients until well combined. Then stir or even beat in the rest of the flour. Divide the dough in half, cover, chill for 1 to 2 hours (even over night is fine).
Lightly flour surface roll each slab of dough to 1/8 inch thick (or your desired thickness). Cut into fun shapes. Add sugars or decoration if that's your style.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Decorate when cooled if desired (pretty cookies may or may not taste better).
Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Creative Ideas: Christmas Cookies 1990

RER 12.23.12

Gingerbread Men

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2/3 cup  molasses
1 large egg

AJR 12.20.12

RER 12.20.12

Sift together the first group of dry ingredients. Beat together the butter and shortening until soft, add the brown sugar, until light in texture and color. Beat in the molasses and the egg. Finally gradually stir in the sifted dry ingredients (preferably with a wooden spoon). Divide the dough in half, cover, chill for 3 hours (again over night is fine).
Lightly flour surface roll each slab of dough to 1/8 inch thick (or your desired thickness). Cut into fun shapes (or men... but gingerbread tastes pretty much the same in any shape).
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Decorate when cooled if desired (frosting, sprinkles, you know the deal).
Recipe from Foodnetwork.com

RER 12.23.12

The frosting I use for either of these cookies involves just eyeballing milk, powdered sugar, and food coloring, until the desired texture.

I love these recipes for roll out Christmas cookies, because it makes baking an event, an experience, and a ton of fun.

RER

12.27.12

RER 12.23.12